EARLY CAREERS

Apprenticeships

About this programme

Our Apprenticeship programmes give you the opportunity to earn while you learn in a leading global law firm. You'll gain the experiences, skills and training to kick-start your career, in a supportive and inclusive environment. You will be working in our firm from day one while receiving dedicated coaching from colleagues and an apprenticeship tuition provider.

Solicitor Apprenticeship

Become a qualified Solicitor with our 6-year Solicitor Apprenticeship programme. You'll study towards an LLB (Hons) in Legal Practice and Skills, and also work towards the Solicitors Regulatory Authority's (SRA) centralised assessment, and the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE).

Alongside your supported academic studies, you will participate in a comprehensive induction, regular training and a bespoke apprentice development plan delivered via the DLA Piper Academy.

At DLA Piper, you will build the skills and experiences to help make informed career choices and we will work with you to help you achieve your ambitions during your apprenticeship and beyond.

Read our FAQ section to find out more.

Am I eligible?

You need to meet the academic requirements for the University of Law (see FAQ section)
You need to have the right to work in the UK and have lived in the UK for the last 3 years.
Please contact us if you are unsure of your eligibility.

Key dates

Applications open: TBC.

Meet us

Project Manager Apprenticeship

You will join the Service Delivery team, to drive efficiency gains, technology solutions and process improvement to enhance our client offering. Working directly with clients, you will offer bespoke design solutions for their organisational needs.

Your four-year Level 6 Project Manager Apprenticeship will consist of working and studying towards the fully funded BSc qualification in Project Management.

In addition, you will receive comprehensive support towards your academic studies and gain valuable skills and experience with a range of working rotations.

Read our FAQ section to find out more.

Am I eligible?

You need to meet the academic requirements for QA (see FAQ section)
You need to have the right to work in the UK and have lived in the UK for the last 3 years
Please contact us if you are unsure of your eligibility.

Key dates

Applications open: TBC.

Meet us

Accessibility

We are committed to employing people with diverse skills and experiences.

We strongly encourage you to share any adjustments that will support your participation in our recruitment process.

If you do require adjustments at any stage of our process, please share this information in your application form. This will only be seen by the Early Careers Team who will do all we can to support you.

DLA Piper was a founding legal industry member of MyPlus Students Club. You can read more about our partnership here.

Recruitment roadmap

Application form

Our application form will capture some key information regarding yourself and will also ask you to submit an answer to our application question regarding your motivations to apply to DLA Piper. We will also ask you to submit a CV.

Rare

DLA Piper is proud to use the Rare Contextual Recruitment System (CRS). We will ask all applicants to complete a contextualised information survey, which is not mandatory. The CRS allows us to understand each candidate’s achievements in the context that they have been gained. We understand that not all candidate’s achievements look the same on paper – and we want to recruit the best people, regardless of their background.

Video interview

The video interview has been developed to assess your motivations and alignment to the role you have applied for. It will consist of three questions which are focused on the behaviours which are important to be successful at DLA Piper.

Assessment Centre

The final stage is an Assessment Centre. It will comprise of exercises which give you the chance to demonstrate your strengths and help us get to know you better.

Ready to shape your future with DLA Piper?

Frequently asked questions

What are the benefits of applying for apprenticeship programmes, compared to traditional qualification routes?

On an Apprenticeship programme, you'll gain the experiences, skills and training to kick-start your career, in a supportive and inclusive environment. You will be working in our firm from day one while receiving dedicated coaching from colleagues and the apprenticeship tuition provider. You will receive a salary and have your apprenticeship fully funded. Ultimately you will leave the programme fully qualified with a wide range of work experience and with no student debt!

Benefits include:

A government accredited Level 7 Solicitor Apprenticeship (equivalent to a master’s degree) or a government accredited Level 6 Project Management Apprenticeship (a degree level apprenticeship)
20% of your time to spend on off-the-job learning, this enables you to dedicate time for your academic learning
A professional qualification, technical and non-technical internal learning, coaching, work-shadowing and many other experiences to support your development
Tracked progression across your apprenticeship, allowing you to see how you are developing against the apprenticeship standard and what’s coming next
A large support network including a supportive team, supervisor, skills coach and buddy
A dedicated Apprenticeship Programme Manager who will provide advice, targeted development opportunities specific to your need and pastoral care support

What qualifications are required to apply for Project Manager and Solicitor Apprenticeship programmes?

As a firm we do not have any academic requirements to apply for our apprenticeships, however the tuition providers we work with do have minimum academic requirements.

If you apply for the Solicitor Apprenticeship Programme you will need at least three C’s at A Level and Maths/English GSCE at Grade C or above (or equivalent qualifications)
If you apply for the Project Manager Apprenticeship Programme you will need 120 UCAS points and grade C or above in English Language (or equivalent qualifications)
For both programmes you must also have the right to work in the UK and have lived in the UK for the last 3 years

If you are unsure if you meet these requirements, please get in touch with us to discuss your eligibility.

How much of my work week will be reserved for study leave?

20% of your time will be spent on off-the-job learning which equates to one day per week, allowing you to focus on developing the essential knowledge, skills and behaviours chosen by industry experts, to help you build a strong career. One day per week will be a mixture of in person and virtual study sessions, lectures and focused study time dependent on the apprenticeship you apply for.

What are you looking for in apprenticeship applicants?

We are looking for talented school leavers and career changers who are looking to continue their education while working to build their knowledge and experience either as a Solicitor or Project Manager. We are open to a wide range of previous academic and work experience, if you believe you can add value to the firm then please apply! We are looking for your potential and we will assess your suitability for the apprenticeship through the application process. Good luck!